The Enigma Of The Universe : Is Reality Independent of Perception?

As we have already seen, according to the Jain epistemology, there is not a single substance which cannot be comprehended by the omniscient being. Also, in Berkelian idealism, it is believed: “It does not matter whether objects ’exist in my mind or that of any other created spirit’ or not; their objectivity arises from their subsisting ‘in the mind of some Eternal Spirit.”^[1] Now, if we compare the two views, we can say that because the omniscient person can perceive the whole universe, all the objects of the universe become real, which is nothing but what realism propounds. Notwithstanding this similarity, there is an essential difference in Berkelian view and the Jain view. Whereas Berkeley accepts the objectivity of external world on account of it being perceived by the Eternal spirit, Jain philosophy believes external objects to exist of their own accord and not because they are perceived by an omniscient soul. In other words Berkelian view is-the mind knows or perceives the things, and therefore, they come into existence, whereas Jain view is-the substances exist really, and therefore, they are perceived (or known) by the percipient.